Monday, October 13, 2014

October 13th: Bread & Wine



"Practice hospitality." (Romans 12:13)

I've always known the Bible espouses hospitality, but I have struggled on and off with this my whole married life.

Enter Shauna Niequist. I was blessed to be on the launch team for this book, with the opportunity to read the book in advance and try a few of the recipes. (You can read my entire review here.)

This is what I wrote in my review:

One of those weaknesses I confess to you here: Hospitality is rarely easy for me. It's not in my nature to open my home and invite people over on a whim, or even on a plan. I was raised by parents who didn't often entertain, so I didn't really have a model for hospitality. Over and over again throughout my ministry marriage, I've been stretched in this area.

For me, Bread & Wine has been an experience not only in cooking, another weakness I see in myself, but also in challenging me to open my home.

I wrote that a year and a half ago. That next summer we hosted each of our new chaplains in our home for a welcome meal. Those meals were followed by us having the cast party last fall for my daughter's high school musical in our home (27 teenagers!). This spring we hosted a Memorial Day party.

I still consider this book to be the catalyst for conversation about hospitality, welcoming others, sharing food and conversation, and most of all, loving others as Christ does.

It's a work in progress.

To read more of this #31DaysofBooks series, visit the introduction post.

1 comment:

Leann said...

This book is beautiful and delicious! I loved it, too!!!